Delivery table mechanism for printing presses



April 1939- F. w. SEYBOLD 2,156,032

DELIVERY TABLE MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed July 12, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet l A ril 25, 1939. F. w. SEYBOLD 2,156,032

DELIVERY TABLE MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRES SE5 Filed July 12, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 i ,7 I g Y 1 E 2 a I 7 I T grwc/wtom 6 0 a7 4% l 2,52

m, #415,, mm

\ April 5 1939- F; w. SEYBOLD 2,156,032

DELIVERY TABLE MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed July 12, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Apr. 25, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DELIVERY TABLE MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES Frederick W. Seybold, Westfield,

to American Type Founders,

N. J., assignor Inc., Elizabeth,

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to sheet delivery mechanism of the character commonly employed in connection with printing presses, and particularly to mechanism for automatically lowering the delivery table in accordance with the height of the pile of sheets thereon.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of novel automatic means for lowering the delivery table of a sheet delivery mechanism by a succession of very slight movements of said table, whereby the position of the top of the pile of sheets on the table remains substantially constant as additional sheets are added.

A further object is the provision of mechanism of the character described, including an operating Wheel of the type commonly provided in manually operated lowering devices, but having a smooth flattened surface for engagement by a friction pawl, which in turn is actuated by the sheet delivery mechanism.

A further object is the provision of a mechanism of the character described, in which the pawl is-normally disengaged from the operating wheel, so that the table may be manually raised or lowered without interference from the pawl, Whenever the delivery mechanism is not operating.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a mechanism of the character described in which the extent of movement of the several moving parts can be adjusted in accordance with the thickness of the sheets being. delivered, such adjustments being made by means capable of uniform and gradual adjustment, rather than step by step, whereby an extremely accurate regulation is possible.

Other and further objects, features and advantages will be apparent from the description which follows, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of a sheet delivery mechanism and delivery table mechanism. constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevation of a portion of the delivery table mechanism;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the mechanism of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an end elevation of the mechanism of Figures 2 and 3;

Figure 5 is a detail view, in perspective, of the friction pawl and pawl-actuating member of the present invention; and

Figure 6' is a fragmentary detail view, in perpawl-actuating primarily for use in connection with sheet delivery mechanism of the type usually employed with printing presses, and by way of specific example the present invention is illustrated as applied to a sheet delivery device such as disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 1,645,993, granted October 18, 1927. However, the particular form of the delivery mechanism is immaterial, so long as it includes a reciprocating or oscillating member which may be employed to acuate the delivery table mechanism of the present invention.

In order to facilitate an understanding of the invention, reference is made to the embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawings and detailed descriptive language is employed. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the invention is thereby intended and that various changes and alterations are contemplated such as would ordinarily occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

Referring to Figure 1, there is seen on the left a fragment of a printing press of the bed and cylinder type, including an impression cylinder l9 and a frame I I on which the bed 9 is slidably mounted, being reciprocated by any suitable mechanism. The inking mechanism is shown at 8, being located under the means 1 for advancing sheets to the cylinder. The printed sheets stripped from the cylinder l0 are received between continuously running tapes l2 and cords I 3, and are conveyed thereby to reciprocating sheet delivery mechanism mounted in a frame [4. The latter is a rectangular structure supported on the tops of four pedestals 21. Mounted in this frame is a reciprocable mechanism adapted to take sheets from tapes l2 and drop them onto a delivery table or board 21'. This mechanism includes a set of endless tapes 28 supported on a reciprocating carriage comprising connected slides 29 mounted on parallel ways 30 (Fig. 3) secured to the side members of frame M. The details of the reciprocating delivery mechanism form no part of the present invention, and will not be further described herein, said mechanism, however, being fully described in the aforementioned Letters Patent.

The delivery table 21' is mounted on the two outer pedestals 2! by means of slidable brackets 59, and is suspended at its four corners by cords 3| and 32. The cords 31 pass over idler pulleys 33, rotatably mounted on the frame I 4', and driving pulleys 34 secured upon a shaft 35 which is likewise journalled in the frame l4. The cords 32 likewise pass over driving pulleys 34.

The shaft 35 is provided at one end with a worm gear 36 for engagement with a worm 31 secured upon one end of a short shaft 38. The latter is journalled in a bracket 39 which is adapted to be secured upon the frame l4 by any suitable means. Upon the opposite end of the shaft 38 is secured a hand wheel 40, which has a flattened, smooth peripheral surface 4|. A lever 42 is retatably mounted on a hub of the hand wheel 40 and is normally maintained in the position illustrated in Figure 4 by means of a spring 43 and an adjustable stop 44.

Pivoted at the outer end of lever 42 is a friction pawl 45, which, in the present embodiment, comprises an L-shaped member provided, near its outer end, with an imprisoned ball bearing 45', the inner or upright arm of the member 45 being bulged somewhat on that side adjacent the hand wheel 49.

The bracket 39 is provided with a pair of spaced bearings 46 and 41 in which is mounted a slidable member 48. The latter carries, on the end away from the hand wheel 48, an upstanding arm 49, in which is threaded an adjustable stop 50. The slidable member 48 is normally maintained in the position illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 by a spring 5|.

As best seen in Figures 2 and 6, a bell crank lever 52 is pivoted in the bracket 39 as at 5 3.

The longer arm of the bell crank lever 52 extends outwardly to a point adjacent the pawl 45, and is provided at its outer end with a hardened block 54 for engagement with the ball bearing 45 carried by the pawl. The shorter arm of the bell crank lever 52 is provided with a cylindrical projection 55 which engages in a transverse slot 56 formed in the slidable member 48, as best illustrated in Figure 6. It will be apparent that upon movement of the slidable member 48 toward the right in Figure 2, the bell crank lever 52 will be rotated in a clockwise manner and the hardened block 54 will engage the ball bearing 45' carried by the pawl 45. The latter will thus be rocked into binding frictional engagement with the peripheral surface 4| of the hand wheel 40, and continued movement of the slidable member 48 and bell crank lever 52 will cause the pawl 45, lever 42 and hand wheel 48 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction (Fig; 4).

In order to provide for actuation of the mechanism above described, one of the slides 29 of the reciprocating delivery mechanism is provided with a downwardly projecting stud 60 (Figs. 1 and 2) which is adapted to engage the stop member 50, carried by the slidable member 48, near the outward extremity of the movement of the slides 29. When this occurs, the member 48 is moved toward the right (Fig. 2), against the resistance of the spring 5|, rocking the bell crank lever 52 which in turn rocks the pawl 45 into engagement with the hand wheel 40 causing a counterclockwise rotation of the latter and a consequentslight lowering of the delivery table 21.

The extent of movement of the slide member 48 may be adjusted by varying the position of the adjustable stop 50, while the extent of movement of the lever 42, and accordingly of the hand wheel 40, may be regulated by means of the adjustable stop 44, which governs the position to which the lever 42 is returned, after each actuation, by the spring 43.

It will be understood that the hand wheel 40 does not make a return movement with the lever 42 and pawl 45, since the pressure between the pawl and the wheel is released as soon as the slidable member 48 commences its return movement, rocking the bell crank lever 52 in a counterclockwise direction. It will also be under stood that the gearing between the shaft 38 and the shaft 35 is non-reversible, that is, the above described mechanism cannot be operated by reason of the weight upon the delivery table 21'. but the latter can be raised or lowered only in accordance with movements of the hand wheel 40.

The operation of the described mechanism is as follows: As a printed sheet leaves the cylinder ll) of the printing press and is carried toward the right (Fig. 1) by the tapes l2 and cords l3, the reciprocating delivery mechanism carried by the slides 29 moves toward the left, into the position illustrated in Figure As the edge of the sheet passes out from between the tapes [2 .and cords l3, it is gripped by mechanism carried by the slides 29, and the latter, together with the reciprocating mechanism, commence to move toward the right. As the reciprocating mechanism reaches its right hand position, its grip upon the sheet is released, and as the reciprocating mechanism starts again toward the left, the right hand edge of the sheet falls down upon the top of the pile of sheets upon the table 21'. As the movement of the reciprocating mechanism toward the left continues, the entire sheet is progressively deposit-ed upon the pile. On each movement of the reciprocating mechanism to the right, the delivery table mechanism of the present invention is actuated in the manner already described, lowering the table 21 to an extent corresponding to the thickness of a single printed sheet. When the desired number of sheets have been deposited upon the table 21' or when its capacity has been reached, the press and delivery mechanism are stopped, the table 21' disconnected from the cords 3| and 32 and from the brackets 59, and a fresh table 21 is secured in its place. The wheel 40 is then rotated by hand in a clockwise direction until the fresh table 21' has been raised to the desired extent. This operation may be effected without any interference from the pawl 45 or its associated mechanism. The press and delivery mechanism are then started'up, and the operation proceeds as hereinbefore described.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with sheet delivery mechanism, delivery table mechanism comprising a frame, means for supporting a delivery table on said frame, a. shaft supported by said frame, a wheel secured on said shaft and having a smooth pawl engaging surface, a lever rotatably mounted adjacent said wheel, a friction pawl pivoted to said lever and adapted to engage said pawl engaging surface of said wheel, means periodically actuated by said sheet delivery mechanism for moving said pawl into binding frictional engagement with said wheel and imparting rotative movement thereto, and means connecting said shaft and said delivery table supporting means, said pawl actuating means comprising a slidable member supported by said frame and adapted to be periodically actuated by said sheet delivery mechanism, and a lever pivotally supported in engagement with said slidable member and adapted to rock into engagement with said pawl.

2. In combination with sheet delivery mechanism, delivery table mechanism comprising a frame, means for supporting a delivery table on said frame, a shaft supported by said frame, a wheel secured on said shaft and having a smooth pawl engaging surface, a lever rotatably mounted adjacent said wheel, a friction pawl pivoted to said lever and adapted to engage said pawl engaging surface of said wheel, means periodically actuated by said sheet delivery mechanism for moving said pawl into binding frictional engagement with said wheel and imparting rotative movement thereto, and means connecting said shaft and said delivery table supporting means, said pawl actuating means comprising a slidable member supported by said frame and adapted to be periodically actuated by said sheet delivery mechanism, and a bell crank lever pivotally supported with one arm engaging said slidable member, the other arm of said bell crank lever being adapted to rock into engagement with said pawl.

3. In combination with sheet delivery mecha nism including a reciprocable carriage, delivery table mechanism comprising a frame, means for supporting a delivery table on said frame, a ro tatable shaft supported by said frame, means connecting said shaft and said delivery table supporting means, a member secured on said shaft and providing an annular pawl engaging surface, a lever rotatably mounted adjacent said member, a pawl pivoted to said lever, a second lever pivotally supported by said frame and adapted to engage and actuate said pawl, a reciprocable slide supported by said frame and engaging said second lever, and means carried by said reciprocable carriage for engaging and actuating said slide during each cycle of said sheet delivery mechanism.

4. In combination with sheet delivery mechanism including a. reciprocable carriage, delivery table mechanism comprising a frame, means for supporting a delivery table on said frame, a rotatable shaft supported by said frame, means connectlng said shaft and said delivery table supporting means, a member secured on said shaft and providing an annular pawl engaging surface, a lever rotatably mounted adjacent said member, a pawl pivoted to said lever, a second lever pivotally supported by said frame and adapted to engage and actuate said pawl, a reciprocable slide supported by said frame and engaging said second lever, means carried by said reciprocable carriage for engaging and actuating said slide during each cycle of said sheet delivery mechanism, and means for returning said slide to its initial position after each actuation.

FREDERICK W. SEYBOLD. 

